Oskar Blues Brewery unveils new year-round IPA featuring new Enigma hop

Oskar Blues Brewery is releasing a new IPA, Oskar Blues IPA, this August, in all 44 states in which Oskar Blues is sold. The brew team has created another balanced but dynamic Oskar Blues beer, offering an intense fresh orange aroma, punchy, savory mouthfeel and long-lasting flavor, the brewery boasted. A variety of Australian hops, including Enigma, Vic Secret, Ella and Topaz, grown in Victoria and Tasmania, were hand-chosen by Oskar Blues brewers for this ale.

This is one of the first U.S. production beers to use the new Enigma hop, a descendant of the Swiss Tettnang hop. Enigma imparts a true down-under terroir of white wine and red berries. Oskar Blues IPA’s grain bill features flaked red wheat and premium English Caramalt — giving the beer a sticky stoned-fruit flavor punctured by a bitter earthiness.

“The Australian hops impart very juicy and sweet aromas, featuring notes of passion fruit, red currant, pinot gris, raspberries, pineapple, peach and citrus,” said Tim Matthews, head of brewing operations for Oskar Blues. “A solid mix of malt barley and red wheat creates a clean malt backbone with just enough flavor and mouthfeel to support the main act from the hops.”

Tim’s tasting notes:

• Aroma: white peach, pineapple, red berries, melon, spruce and citrus
• Flavor: crisp malts, melon, pinot gris and hint of bread.
• Mouthfeel: coats with noticeable bitterness, finishes semi-sweet with soft bitterness.
• Appearance: frothy to creamy foam, golden to orangish hue.

Oskar Blues IPA comes in at 6.43 percent ABV and 70 IBUs, making it a unique addition to the Oskar Blues portfolio. The beer will be available in six packs of 12-ounce cans.